Agente 007 - Una cascata di diamanti
Agente 007 - Una cascata di diamanti è un film del 1971 diretto da Guy Hamilton. È il settimo film della saga di James Bond ed il sesto ed ultimo in cui Sean Connery interpreta l'agente, dopo la temporanea parentesi dell'australiano George Lazenby nel precedente Agente 007 - Al servizio segreto di Sua Maestà. L'episodio è ricco di situazioni grottesche risultando uno dei più violenti e più audaci della serie. Trama James Bond è determinato nell'eliminazione del suo nemico Ernst Stavro Blofeld per vendicare l'assassinio della moglie Tracy visto nell'episodio precedente, interrogando senza formalità conoscenze ed amicizie, fino a risalire a lui ed ucciderlo spietatamente. Bond viene incaricato da M di sostituirsi ad un certo Peter Franks, per risalire al responsabile di un grosso traffico illegale di diamanti, i cui contatti vengono via via eliminati da una bizzarra coppia di killer, Mr Kidd e Mr Wint. 007 contatta Tiffany Case ad Amsterdam, dopo l'uccisione di un ennesimo contatto, e si dirige con lei negli Stati Uniti a Las Vegas. Tutti gli indizi sembrerebbero indicare come colpevole il ricchissimo industriale Willard Whyte, e i diamanti servirebbero a costruire un misterioso laser presso dei laboratori di ingegneria aerospaziale nel deserto del Nevada. Bond ben presto scopre che dietro questo traffico c'è il suo acerrimo nemico Blofeld redivivo, in quanto quello ucciso era uno dei suoi sosia. Blofeld opera dietro l'involontaria copertura di White, del quale riesce a contraffare la voce per mezzo di un sintetizzatore vocale. White infatti è prigioniero in una villa nel mezzo di un deserto, ma Bond riesce a ritrovarlo. Bond e White scoprono il luogo segreto cui opera Blofeld per ricattare il mondo per mezzo di un potente laser posto in orbita e diretto da una piattaforma oceanica. Bond riesce alla fine ad uccidere Blofeld facendolo saltare in aria con la stessa piattaforma. Bond e Tiffany partono per una crociera spesata da Whyte e durante una cena di classe si presentano Kidd e Wint come camerieri e sommelier, presto smascherati per la loro incompetenza. In una breve colluttazione i killers vengono eliminati da Bond servendosi delle loro stesse trappole. Tiffany scrutando il cielo si domanda sul come riportare sulla Terra il prezioso campionario in orbita. Produzione I produttori originariamente intendevano ricreare con Una cascata di diamanti il successo commerciale di Goldfinger, including hiring its director, Guy Hamilton. Peter R. Hunt, who had directed On Her Majesty's Secret Service and worked in all previous Bond films as editor, was invited before Hamilton, but due to involvement with another project could only work in the film if the production date was postponed, which the producers declined to do. Writing This was the last Bond movie by Eon to use SPECTRE or Blofeld – elements that had not been featured in Ian Fleming's book, the content of which was largely eschewed in the adaptation. After this, writer Kevin McClory's legal claim against the Fleming estate that he, and not Ian Fleming, had created the organisation for the novel Thunderball was upheld by the courts. Blofeld is seen but not identified later in For Your Eyes Only (1981), as Eon's arrangements with the Fleming estate did not permit them to use McClory's works. The original plot had as a villain Auric Goldfinger's twin, seeking revenge for the death of his brother. The plot was later changed after Albert R. Broccoli had a dream, where his close friend Howard Hughes was replaced by an imposter. So the character of Willard Whyte was created, and Tom Mankiewicz was chosen to rework the script. The adaptation eliminated the main villains from the source Ian Fleming novel, mobsters called Jack and Seraffimo Spang, but used the henchmen Shady Tree, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. Richard Maibaum's original idea for the ending was a giant boat chase across Lake Mead with Blofeld being pursued by Bond and all the Las Vegas casino owners who would be sailing in their private yachts. Bond would rouse the allies into action with a spoof of Lord Nelson's famous cry, "Las Vegas expects every man to do his duty." Maibaum was misinformed; there were no Roman galleys or Chinese junks in Las Vegas, and the idea was too expensive to replicate, so it was dropped. Maibaum may have thought the eventual oil rig finale a poor substitute, but it was originally intended to be much more spectacular. Armed frogmen would jump from the helicopters into the sea and attach limpet mines to the rig's legs (this explains why frogmen appear on the movie's poster). Blofeld would have escaped in his BathoSub and Bond would have pursued him hanging from a weather balloon. The chase would have then continued across a salt mine with the two mortal enemies scrambling over the pure white hills of salt before Blofeld would fall to his death in a salt granulator. Permission was not granted by the owners of the salt mine. It also made the sequence too long. Further problems followed when the explosives set up for the finale were set off too early; fortunately, a handful of cameras were ready and able to capture the footage. Casting George Lazenby originally was offered a contract for seven Bond films, but declined and left after just one, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, on the advice of his agent. Producers contemplated replacing him with John Gavin (though Batman star Adam West was also considered), as well as Michael Gambon, who rejected the offer telling Broccoli that he was "in terrible shape."David Walliams takes some acting tips from Michael Gambon, The Sunday Times United Artists' chief David Picker was unhappy with this decision and made it clear that Connery was to be enticed back to the role and that money was no object. When approached about resuming the role of Bond, Connery demanded the fee of £1.25 million (£ }} million in pounds ) and to entice the actor to play Bond one more time United Artists offered to back two films of his choice. After both sides agreed to the deal, Connery used the fee to establish the Scottish International Education Trust, where Scottish artists could apply for funding without having to leave their country to pursue their careers. Since John Gavin was no longer in the running for the role, his contract was paid in full by United Artists. The first film made under Connery's deal was The Offence directed by his friend Sidney Lumet. The second was to be an adaptation of Macbeth by William Shakespeare using only Scottish actors and in which Connery himself would play the title role. This project was abandoned because another production of Macbeth (the Roman Polanski version) was already in production. Charles Gray was cast as master villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, after playing a Bond ally called Henderson in You Only Live Twice (1967). David Bauer who plays Morton Slumber previously appeared uncredited as an American diplomat also in You Only Live Twice. Jazz musician Putter Smith was invited by Harry Saltzman to play Mr. Kidd after a Thelonious Monk Band show. Musician Paul Williams was originally cast as Mr. Wint. But when he couldn't agree with the producers on compensation, Bruce Glover replaced him. Glover said he was surprised at being chosen, because at first producers said he was too normal and that they wanted a deformed, Peter Lorre-like actor. Film star Bruce Cabot, who played the part of Bert Saxby, died the following year and this turned out to be his final film role. Jimmy Dean was cast as Willard Whyte after Saltzman saw a presentation of him. Dean was very worried about playing a Howard Hughes pastiche, because he was an employee of Hughes at the Desert Inn. Tra le attrici considerate per il ruolo di Tiffany Case vanno ricordate Raquel Welch, Jane Fonda e Faye Dunaway. A Jill St. John era stato inizialmente offerto il ruolo di Plenty O'Toole but landed the female lead after impressing director Guy Hamilton during screen tests. St. John became the first American Bond girl. Lana Wood was cast as Plenty O'Toole following a suggestion of screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz. The woman in the bikini named "Marie", who in the beginning of the film is convinced by Bond to give up the location of Blofeld, was Denise Perrier, Miss World 1953. Curiosità * Nel casinò Bond è avvicinato da una giovane giunonica di nome "Plenty" (abbondanza), Petty nella versione italiana. * La residenza desertica di White è Elrod House, magnifica villa costruita nel 1968 a Palm Springs dall'architetto John Lautner. * Nel film compare Bruce Cabot nella sua ultima interpretazione, protagonista del celeberrimo King Kong anni Trenta. * Seconda apparizione in un film 007 di Ed Bishop, reduce del successo della serie TV UFO. * Il software del computer del controllo orbitale del satellite killer ha per supporto un'audiocassetta, come in molti computer medi dell'epoca. * Oltre il fastidioso dopobarba, Bond fa presente al falso sommelier dell'appartenenza del vino Mouton Rothschild ai Bordeaux. * In questi film Charles Gray interpreta Ernst Stavro Blofeld, subentrando a Donald Pleasance e Telly Savalas. Lo stesso attore è apparso in un precedente Si vive solo due volte, interprete di un personaggio secondario che cade ucciso dopo poche scene. * Seconda partecipazione della cantante soul'' Shirley Bassey, nella colonna sonora di un film della serie. Interprete del tema Diamonds are for ever esegue una cover in Italiano per la rispettiva versione. * La trama di questo film viene ripresa anche in un episodio dell'anime d'azione Occhi di gatto, dal titolo Tutti in pericolo. Note Locandina Categoria:Film britannici Categoria:Film di spionaggio Categoria:Film di James Bond